Reverend Al: Messenger of Peace...

From today's New York Post:
February 25, 2004 -- Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton said yesterday that both Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and opposition leaders have accepted his offer to travel to Haiti to help broker a peace agreement after a U.S.-backed proposal was rejected.

"I'm going to prepare a humanitarian trip because all sides appear to be willing at least to talk," Sharpton said yesterday after meeting Haitian diplomats.

Reverend Al has never been a great humanitarian, so don't be fooled. Jesse Jackson can just about be heard in the backgroud, "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Reverend? This am my turf, suckah!" As for what "both sides are willing to talk" about, maybe a good first step would be to stop hanging gasoline-filled tires around each other's necks. Cynical ploy by Al, who apparently can't even get black folks to vote for him, and an even more dubious one by Aristede, who's probably THAT desperate.

He said he would travel to Haiti, possibly in the next few days.

Earlier, Haitian officials who joined Sharpton at a news conference at Haiti's New York consulate said they welcomed his offer.

"We are certainly pleased with the humanitarian mission that the reverend is embarking upon today, and certainly we need that," said Consul General Harry Fouche. "We need more involvement."

Giving the diplomat the benefit of the doubt, they're trained and expected to speak in diplo-crap, what exactly is "involvement"? If I recall, it was American "involvement" that put Aristede where he is. So, are you telling me that Haitians (and I know a few of them) are incapable of solving their own problems and need the intervention of either the U.S. Military or a corpulent race-baiter to solve them? Or better yet, to ensure this guy Fouche (should be Douche) gets to keep his position as Ambassador with plush living arrangements safely away from Haiti?

Sharpton, a minister who has advocated Haitian-American rights in the United States, said he has met President Jean-Bertrand Aristide several times. He said he spoke to both Aristide and opposition spokesman Paul Denis by phone yesterday.

Denis told him that his group, which is threatening to attack the capital of Port-au-Prince, planned to turn down the last-minute U.S. plan, which does not require Aristide to resign.

It was unlikely the Bush administration would approve of Sharpton's private diplomacy.

That first sentence is arguable. If Al's a Reverend, then how come he isn't in church every week giving fire and brimstone speeches about the evil of "Whitey", instead of in the streets rousing folks to burn down their own neighborhoods?

This Denis guy, of course, would reject any plan that doesn't call for Aristede to take the gaspipe because he stands to benefit from toppling Aristede himself. Why do you think he became a "rebel leader" or something? And certainly it's "unlikely" that the Bush Administration would approve Sharpton's private diplomacy because that's the job of the State Department. Sharpton is not empowered (pardon the use of the word) to speak for the U.S. government, he's a busy-body and firestarter. My opinion, if Al cares so much for the people of Haiti, let him run for President there. Otherwise, he's just causing more trouble than he's worth.